Wikimedia Foundation Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union with CWA • Hacker News Board

Re: Wikimedia Foundation Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union with CWA

#181

Post by Moomoomoo309 » Mon, Sep 07, 2026, 4:48 PM UTC

aliasxneo wrote: post #146

pocksuppet wrote: post #144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't have to be so extreme though. Basic scenario: 20% of everyone's income is taxed and then distributed equally to everyone (no matter what, and without setting any fixed dollar amount), another 10% pays for administrative functions and government stuff except welfare, and the remaining 70% is theirs to do with as they please. What would happen? Would everyone quit their job? I don't think so, because 70% is…

I'd be fine with this so long as people who didn't contribute any taxes couldn't vote. Otherwise you're just signing up for those who choose to work to get exploited by the leisurely.

Are there historical examples of this ever happening in any significant numbers? This idea that people en masse just won't work and live off of the state where opportunities for work are reasonably available seems more like a boogeyman than a real thing. (obviously, if work is not really available, I can see this happening, but I wouldn't describe the people unable to find work as "leisurely" in that case)

Re: Wikimedia Foundation Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union with CWA

#182

Post by next_xibalba » Mon, Sep 07, 2026, 6:04 PM UTC

Grombobulous wrote: post #176

next_xibalba wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which laws? And why?

Here's a big paper on the subject: https://files.epi.org/pdf/215908.pdf I'm not sure it touches on the exact concept I said, though. I've read about it somewhere else that I can't find right now.

Thanks for the reference. I am interested in your specific perspective as opposed to someone else's (much less else the received opinions from The Experts).

Re: Wikimedia Foundation Workers Overwhelmingly Vote to Form Union with CWA

#183

Post by rexpop » Mon, Sep 07, 2026, 6:33 PM UTC

PorciiVorbesc wrote: post #175

rexpop wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> work for a non-profit? Aren't they mostly volunteers? No. Common misconception. It's a business and career like any other. > experience in my youth volunteering at animal shelters and environmental protection groups Just not applicable, here.

>It's a business and career like any other. Then why should we treat Wikipedia any differently than we treat Meta, OpenAI, Google, Apple etc? When they're just in the business of making money and the "mission" can always just be another facade similar to OpenAI? >Just not applicable, here. Explain please.

> should we treat Wikipedia any differently

I'm not sure we should. Should we? How so?

> Explain please.

Explain the difference between youth volunteer-work and vocational career-work?